Discharge chute for turf mower

ABSTRACT

A discharge chute assembly for a turf mower having a resilient deflector and a frame connecting the deflector to a mower deck proximate to a side discharge outlet. The frame includes one or more extension elements which engage the deflector. In one embodiment the extension elements are captured within pockets defined within the deflector. The pivoting frame mass facilitates a quick recovery to a guarded condition after the deflector rises in contact with an obstruction. Additionally, the frame mass allows the deflector to maintain an upright, unguarded orientation without additional biasing forces which is useful, for example, during a machine loading operation.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a turf mower and more particularly to aside discharge chute for a turf mower.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Turf cutting equipment, such as rotary mowers, have a cutting deckcarrying one or more turf cutting implements within a cutting chamber.Open access to the cutting chamber is often provided to allow for widerdispersal of grass clippings. Side discharge mowers may have an accessprovided at a laterally disposed side of the cutting deck and beequipped with a discharge deflecting chute to keep debris thrown fromthe mower blade at a very low altitude. Many known discharge deflectingchutes are generally rigid and are often damaged during use from contactwith obstacles.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a resilient discharge deflectingchute. In a preferred embodiment, a resilient deflector has memorycharacteristics and returns to an original shape even after substantialdeformation from obstacle contact. The resilient deflector is connectedat one end to a movable frame which allows the deflector to pivotrelative to the mower deck. The frame includes a pair of hinge arms anda plurality of extensions sized to engage interior surfaces of thedeflector.

In one embodiment, a deflector chute assembly includes a resilient,molded deflector coupled at one end to a frame. Portions of the frameare inserted into the deflector to provide additional stability andrigidity to the deflector during use. The inserted frame portions can betongue-like extensions which are sized to be received intocorrespondingly sized pocket portions defined at an end of thedeflector. The frame also defines a mounting surface which engages amounting platform of the deflector. Fasteners are used at the mountinginterface to secure the frame to the deflector. The frame includes apair of hinge arms which are pinned to a hinge support on the mower deckto provide a movable connection between the deflector and the mowerdeck.

The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technicaladvantages of the present invention in order that the detaileddescription of the invention that follows may be better understood.Additional features and advantages of the invention will be describedhereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. Itshould be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conceptionand specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis formodifying or designing other structures for carrying out the samepurposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by thoseskilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appendedclaims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic ofthe invention, both as to its organization and method of operation,together with further objects and advantages will be better understoodfrom the following description when considered in connection with theaccompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, thateach of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration anddescription only and is not intended as a definition of the limits ofthe present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference isnow made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a turf mower deck having a deflector chute assemblyof the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a bottom perspective view of the mower deck of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the deflectorchute assembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the resilient deflector of the deflector chuteassembly of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the resilient deflector of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the resilient deflector taken alonglines 6-6 of FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show mower deck 10 as removed from a turf mowing vehicle(not shown) and including a discharge chute assembly 30. Mower deck 10includes a top wall 11, front wall 12 and rear wall 13 and is connectedto the turf mower by support arms 14 and chains 15. Mower deck 10defines a downwardly facing cutting chamber carrying cutting blades 16adapted to rotate in a generally horizontal cutting plane about agenerally vertical rotational axis. Each rotary cutting blade 16 hassharpened cutting edges which cut the grass as blade 16 rotates in itscutting plane. A means for rotating the cutting blade within cuttingchamber is provided on deck 10. As shown, the rotating means includes abelt 17 and pulley 18 system. Alternatively, individual electric orhydraulic motors (not shown) may be utilized to power the cuttingblades. A side wall opening 19 defines a grass discharge opening toallow grass clippings to exit deck 10. Discharge chute assembly 30 isconnected at the grass discharge opening of mower deck 10.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of discharge chuteassembly 30 as removed from deck 10. Discharge chute assembly 30includes a resilient deflector 31 and frame 40 for connecting deflector31 to cutting deck 10. As described in more detail hereinafter,extending portions 43 of frame 40 engage pocket portions 32 of deflector31. Deflector 31 and frame 40 are secured together with fasteners 33,for example a threaded fastener, washer and nut. Portions of fasteners33 are passed through apertures in deflector 31 and frame 40.

Discharge chute assembly 30 is movably connected to mower deck 10 via ahinge connection which permits the discharge chute assembly 30 to assumea guarded position (as shown in FIG. 1) and an unguarded position (notshown) where the discharge chute assembly 30 has pivoted away from theground surface about a pivot axis, shown as line PA in FIG. 3. When inthe guarded position, discharge chute assembly 30 is generally alignedwith side discharge opening 19 so that clippings are directed through aninterior region of discharge chute assembly 30. Deflector 31 issupported by frame 40 on one end and is unsupported at a free end.Deflector 31 may be manufactured from a wide variety of natural and/orsynthetic elastomeric products, including but not limited topolymer-based and metal materials.

FIGS. 4 and 5 shows top and side elevational views, respectively, ofdeflector 31. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of deflector 31 takenalong lines 6-6 of FIG. 5. FIG. 6 shows the interior of pockets 32,which in this embodiment, are sized in relation to extensions 43 offrame 40. In this embodiment, pockets 32 include a pair of generallyplanar opposite walls 34 (only one shown in FIG. 6) and side walls 35adapted to capture side edges of frame extensions 43. In thisembodiment, extensions 43 of frame 40 are adapted to be inserted intoclosed pockets 32. In other embodiments, extensions 43 may engageopen-ended pockets or other open structures, such as loops, definedwithin deflector 31. Deflector 31 further includes a generally planarmount surface 36 having a plurality of apertures 37.

Frame 40 includes a pair of frame arms 41 having hinge apertures 42, agenerally planar mount surface 44 and a plurality of extensions 43,shown configured as tongues, adapted to engage portions of deflector 31.A hinge connection includes frame arms 41, pins 45 and cutting decksupports 46 (shown in FIG. 1). If the discharge chute assembly 30contacts an obstruction during mowing operations, the hinge connectionallows discharge chute assembly 30 to pivot about hinge axis PA allowingdeflector 31 to avoid the obstruction. Once discharge chute assembly 30has cleared the obstruction, the mass of extensions 43 facilitates aquick rotation of discharge chute assembly 30 back into its guardedposition. Alternatively, when contacting other obstructions, resilientdeflector 31 may deform to pass underneath the obstruction. In thiscase, deflector 31 returns to its original condition once cleared of theobstruction given the resilient properties of deflector 31.

The offset mass of extensions 43 (relative to the hinge axis)facilitates return of discharge chute assembly 30 to the guardedposition without the requirement of an external spring bias. The offsetmass of extensions 43 further facilitates a mower loading processwherein the discharge chute assembly 30, once lifted into an uprightorientation, remains in the upright orientation without the requirementof an external spring, rope, wire, cord, etc., as the mower is moved orloaded onto a trailer.

In another embodiment of the invention, a biasing element, such as atorsion spring, may provide a force tending to bias the discharge chuteassembly 30 into the guarded position as indicated in FIG. 1.

During assembly, extensions 43 of frame 40 are inserted into pockets 32of deflector 31. Threaded fasteners are passed through apertures 47 inframe 40 and deflector 31 and secure mount surface 44 of frame 40 tomount surface 36 of deflector 31. Frame 40 is movably connected to mowerdeck 10 via pins 45 passing through hinge apertures 42 and deck supports46.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described indetail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions andalterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, thescope of the present application is not intended to be limited to theparticular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, compositionof matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. Asone of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from thedisclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture,compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing orlater to be developed that perform substantially the same function orachieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodimentsdescribed herein may be utilized according to the present invention.Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within theirscope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter,means, methods, or steps.

1. A turf mower discharge chute assembly comprising: a resilientdeflector, and a support frame secured at one end of said deflector,said frame aligning said deflector with a side discharge opening of aturf mower, and said frame defining at least one tongue-like extensionwhich is inserted into said deflector.
 2. The discharge chute assemblyof claim 1 wherein said extension is inserted into a closed cavity ofsaid deflector.
 3. The discharge chute assembly of claim 1 wherein saidframe defines a portion of a hinge, said hinge permitting said chuteassembly to pivot about a hinge axis.
 4. The discharge chute assembly ofclaim 3 wherein said portion of said hinge includes a pair of hinge armsextending generally away from said at least one extension.
 5. Thedischarge chute assembly of claim 1 wherein said deflector issubstantially devoid of obstructions on an inner surface thereof.
 6. Thedischarge chute assembly of claim 1 wherein said extension issubstantially planar.
 7. The discharge chute assembly of claim 6 whereinextension is inserted into a cavity defined by a pair of generallyparallel planar wall surfaces.
 8. The discharge chute assembly of claim7 wherein said cavity is generally parallel with a plane of rotation ofa mower blade when said discharge chute assembly is in a guardedorientation.
 9. The discharge chute assembly of claim 1 wherein saiddeflector includes a mount platform adapted to be engaged by a mountsurface of said frame.
 10. The discharge chute assembly of claim 9wherein said mount platform includes a plurality of apertures throughwhich portions of a plurality of fasteners are received.
 11. Thedischarge chute assembly of claim 1 wherein said at least one extensioncontributes to the deflector being unbalanced about a hinge axis ofrotation, said at least one extension tending to cause the deflector toremain in a guarded position during a mowing operation and remain in anupright unguarded position during a nonmowing operation without therequirement of an external bias force.
 12. A discharge chute assemblyfor a turf mower comprising: a resilient deflector; and a support framehaving at least one extension, said frame being pivotally connected to amower deck carrying a rotating mower blade and having a side dischargeopening through which said rotating mower blade transports grassclippings out of said mower deck, wherein said at least one extension isreceived into a portion of said deflector.
 13. The turf mower of claim12 wherein said portion of said deflector is a pocket, with said atleast one extension engaging interior surfaces of said pocket.
 14. Theturf mower of claim 13 wherein said pocket is defined as a generallyclosed cavity within said deflector.
 15. The turf mower of claim 13wherein said pocket and said at least one extension are generallysimilarly shaped.
 16. The turf mower of claim 12 wherein said at leastone extension extends outwardly away from said side discharge opening.17. The turf mower of claim 12 wherein said at least one extensioncontributes to the deflector being unbalanced about a hinge axis ofrotation, said at least one extension tending to cause the deflector toremain in a guarded position during a mowing operation and remain in anupright unguarded position during a nonmowing operation without therequirement of an external bias force.
 18. A turf mower discharge chuteassembly comprising: a resilient deflector capable of being deformedupon contact with an obstacle; and a rigid frame connected to an end ofsaid deflector with at least an extending portion of said frame beingreceived into a receiving portion of said deflector.
 19. The dischargechute assembly of claim 18 wherein said receiving portion is a closedcavity.
 20. The discharge chute assembly of claim 19 wherein said cavityis generally parallel with a plane of rotation of a mower blade whensaid discharge chute assembly is in a guarded orientation.
 21. Thedischarge chute assembly of claim 18 wherein said extending portion andsaid receiving portion are substantially similar in shape.
 22. Thedischarge chute assembly of claim 18 wherein said extending portion isgenerally parallel with a plane of rotation of a mower blade when saiddischarge chute assembly is in a guarded orientation.
 23. The dischargechute assembly of claim 18 wherein said extending portion contributes tothe deflector being unbalanced about a hinge axis of rotation, said atleast one extension tending to cause the deflector to remain in aguarded position during a mowing operation and remain in an uprightunguarded position during a nonmowing operation without the requirementof an external bias force.